- 1745: Pieter van Musschenbroek invents the Leyden jar, the first capacitor; the first recorded attempt to store electricity.
- 1752: Benjamin Franklin conducts his famous kite experiment, proving the identity of lightning and electricity.
- 1800: Alessandro Volta invents the voltaic pile, the first battery; the first reliable source of continuous electric current.
- 1820: Hans Christian Ørsted produces an apparent conflict between magnetism and electricity, which will be explained through electromagnetic theory.
- 1831: Michael Faraday discovers electromagnetic induction, the production of electricity using a changing magnetic field; this principle is the basis for generators and transformers.
- 1879: Thomas Edison develops the first practical incandescent light bulb, using a carbonized filament, paving the way for widespread lighting.
AC vs DC
- In the late 19th century, there was a fierce rivalry between proponents of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) for electrical transmission. AC, championed by Nikola Tesla, allowed more efficient transmission of power over long distances and dominated, while DC, which was initially promoted by Thomas Edison, saw limited success in certain applications.
Age of Electricity
- 1882: Thomas Edison opens his first power plant in New York City, supplying DC electricity to homes and businesses.
- 1887: Nikola Tesla invents and patents his induction motor, which uses alternating current to generate rotation, revolutionizing industrial applications.
- 1896: The world's first hydroelectric power plant is built at Niagara Falls, converting water flow to electricity.
- 1897: English physicist J. J. Thomson discovers the electron, the basic building block of electricity.
20th Century Developments:
- 1901: Charles P. Steinmetz develops a mathematical theory for alternating current circuits.
- 1903: Edison develops the first alkaline storage battery.
- 1913: The Panama Canal opens, using electric motors instead of locks, saving time and water energy.
- 1926: First transatlantic radiotelephone communication.
- 1930: Scottish engineer Alan Blumlein patents a stereo sound recording and reproduction system.
- 1931: Robert Van de Graaff builds a machine in a physics lab at Princeton that produces very high voltages.
- 1942: The first general-purpose analog computer is developed at the University of Pennsylvania for the U.S. military.
- 1947: John Bardeen, Walter Houser Brattain, and William Shockley invent the transistor at Bell Laboratories.
- 1954: The first nuclear power plant opens at Obninsk, Russia.
- 1957: The Soviet satellite Sputnik launches into orbit, powered by solar cells.
- 1958: The first integrated circuit (IC) is developed at Texas Instruments.
- 1969: Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, powered by portable fuel cell systems onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft.
- 1970s: Rise of personal computers, leading to rapid electronic miniaturization.
- 1980s to present: Ongoing advancements in renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and digital electronics reshape how electricity is generated and used.
Today:
Electricity has become deeply integrated into every facet of modern civilization, powering homes, industries, transportation, and communication. Technological innovations, such as smartphones, electric vehicles, smart grids, and advances in renewable energy and storage, continue to transform how we use electricity.
